Multi-function peripheral

ABSTRACT

A multi-function peripheral (MFP) suited for printing/scanning a paper or a business card is provided. The MFP includes a body and a printing/scanning unit, a feeding roller, and a plurality of idle rollers disposed in the body. The body has a feeding path that the printing/scanning unit, the feeding roller, and the idle rollers are located thereon. The printing/scanning unit used for printing/scanning the paper or the business card on the feeding path. The idle rollers lean against the feeding roller respectively. A path length between two leaning points of any two adjacent idle rollers contacting the feeding roller is shorter than a size of the business card.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 100143145, filed on Nov. 24, 2011. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a multi-function peripheral (MFP), and more particularly to a multi-function peripheral capable of printing and scanning business cards.

2. Description of Related Art

In current offices, MFP machines are tools that are indispensable. MFP machines include photocopiers, printers, scanners, and MFPs with other functions. In conventional MFPs, paper transmission is performed by a plurality of rollers of a paper transmission passage of the MFP (such as a paper feeding roller located at a paper entrance, and a paper exit roller located at a paper exit).

When the above MFP needs to scan or print business cards, the MFP is limited to the dimensions and material quality of the paper of the business cards. Thus, the MFP is unable to perform paper transmission like the paper feeding path of printing or scanning general paper. For example, the dimensions of a business card are far smaller than the dimensions of a general piece of paper. Therefore, the rollers disposed in the MFP for transmitting general paper will be unable to effectively transmit business cards. Furthermore, the material quality of the paper of business cards is much harder than general paper. Thus, using current paper feeding paths will cause business cards to bend irregularly or be damaged.

Accordingly, current technology will configure an additional paper entrance, to form a smoother paper feeding path, and have rollers with distances that match the dimensions of a business card. However, this way the manufacturing cost of MFPs increases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an MFP, capable of printing paper and business cards.

An embodiment of the invention provides an MFP, adapted to print and scan a piece of paper or a business card. The MFP includes a body, a printing/scanning unit, a feeding roller, and a plurality of idle rollers. The body has a feeding path. The scanning/printing unit, the feeding roller, and the idle rollers are disposed in the body and are located on the feeding path. The scanning/printing unit is used for printing/scanning the paper or the business card on the feeding path. The idle rollers respectively lean against the feeding roller. A path length between two leaning points of any two adjacent idle rollers contacting the feeding roller is shorter than a size of the business card.

In an embodiment of the invention, the dimensions of the business card include 5 cm×9.4 cm or 10 cm×9.4 cm.

In an embodiment of the invention, a diameter of the feeding roller is greater than or equal to 1.75 times a diameter of each of the idle rollers.

In an embodiment of the invention, the printing/scanning unit is located between any two adjacent idle rollers.

In an embodiment of the invention, the body further includes a paper entrance and a paper exit. The paper or business card respectively enters the feeding path through the paper entrance, and leaves the body through the paper exit.

In an embodiment of the invention, the MFP further includes a paper pick-up roller, a paper dividing roller, and a paper exit roller located on the feeding path. The paper pick-up roller is adjacent to the paper entrance. The paper dividing roller is located between the paper pick-up roller and the feeding roller. The paper exit roller is adjacent to the paper exit.

In an embodiment of the invention, the body includes a base, a top cover, and a flexible element. The base has the feeding path. The top cover is assembled to the base lifted or shut, so as to cover the feeding path. The flexible element connects the top cover and one of the idle rollers. When the top cover is lifted-up and opened corresponding to the base, the idle roller moves away from the feeding path with the top cover. When the top cover is laid-down and shut corresponding to the base, the top cover drives the idle roller to lean against the feeding path.

In an embodiment of the invention, a hardness of the business card is greater than a hardness of the paper.

In an embodiment of the invention, the feeding path includes at least one curve.

In an embodiment of the invention, the feeding roller is located at an area of the curve.

Based on the above, in the embodiments of the invention, multiple idle rollers respectively contact the feeding roller, and a path length between two leaning points of any two adjacent idle rollers contacting the feeding roller is shorter than a size of the business card. Therefore, during the process of the business card being transmitted on the feeding path, the business card will be clamped by at least two idle rollers and the feeding roller, causing the business card to be successively transmitted through the feeding path. This way, the MFP and similar feeding paths can print/scan general paper and business cards, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and improving efficiency.

In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, embodiments accompanying figures are described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings constituting a part of this specification are incorporated herein to provide a further understanding of the invention. Here, the drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a partial side view of an MFP according to embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the MFP of FIG. 1 when fed paper.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the MFP of FIG. 1 under another condition.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a partial side view of an MFP according to embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 is used to illustrate the configurations of the related components of the MFP on a feeding path. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the MFP of FIG. 1 when fed paper. FIG. 2 only illustrates the necessary components of the invention, so as to clearly describe their relationships. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in the embodiment, an MFP 100 includes a body 110, a printing/scanning unit 120, a feeding roller 130, and a plurality of idle rollers 140A, 140B. The printing/scanning unit 120, the feeding roller 130, and the plurality of idle rollers 140A, 140B are disposed in the body 110. The body 110 includes a feeding path L1. The scanning/printing unit 120, the feeding roller 130, and the idle rollers 140A, 140B are located on the feeding path L1. It should be noted that the printing/scanning unit 120 of the embodiment is an apparatus that can perform image processing functions (scanning, printing, or both) towards objects on the feeding path L1 (herein a piece of paper or a business card 200), but are not limited to the above functions.

In further detail, the body 110 of the MFP 100 includes a base 112 and a top cover 114. The base 112 has the feeding path L1, and a paper entrance E1 and a paper exit E2 connected to the feeding path L1. Further, the MFP 100 includes a paper pick-up roller 150, a paper dividing roller 160, and a paper exit roller 170 located on the feeding path L1. The paper pick-up roller 150 is adjacent to the paper entrance E1. The paper dividing roller 160 is located between the paper pick-up roller 150 and the feeding roller 130. The paper exit roller 170 is adjacent to the paper exit E2. The paper or the business card 200 enters from the paper entrance E1 and sequentially transmits to the feeding path L1 through the paper pick-up roller 150 and the paper dividing roller 160. Then the paper or business card 200 is transmitted through the feeding roller 130 and the idle rollers 140A, 140B leaning against the feeding roller 130. After receiving the image processing from the scanning/printing unit 120, the paper or business card 200 is transmitted out of the body 110 through the paper exit roller 170 of the paper exit E2.

When the feeding structure of the MFP 100 is scanning or printing paper, paper can successfully pass through the feeding path L1 to receive the image processing from the scanning/printing unit 120. However, it should be noted that in order for the MFP 100 to also use the same feeding path L1 and perform scanning/printing towards the business card 200, the MFP 100 of the invention not only disposes a plurality of idle rollers 140A, 140B to lean against the feeding roller 130, but also on the feeding path L1, a path length between any two adjacent idle rollers is shorter than a size of the business card 200.

For example, the length and width of the business card 200 is 5 cm×9.4 cm or 10 cm×9.4 cm. Therefore, in the embodiment, a path length between the leaning points A1, A2 of the two adjacent idle rollers 140A, 140B contacting the feeding roller 130 is shorter than the sizes of the business card 200. Accordingly, when the business card 200 is being transmitted through the feeding path L1, the business card 200 will be respectively clamped by at least two idle rollers 140A, 140B and the feeding roller 130. This way, the business card 200 will assuredly be transmitted through without being jammed. The embodiment only illustrates two idle rollers 140A, 140B. However, the invention is not limited thereto. Any design of more than two idle rollers respectively leaning against the feeding roller 130 can be adapted to the invention.

On the other hand, the leaning points A3, A4, and A5 of the paper pick-up roller 150, the paper dividing roller 160, and the paper exit roller 170, respectively, are similar to the leaning points A1, A2. That is to say, in these leaning points A1 to A5, any two adjacent leaning points on the feeding path L1 will satisfy having a path length shorter than a size of the business card 200.

In addition, in the embodiment, the feeding path L1 includes at least one curve C1. The feeding roller 130 is located at the curve C1 area, and a radius of the feeding roller 130 is substantially smaller than or equal to a curvature radius of the curve C1. This effectively lowers the external size of the MFP 100, allowing it to have a thinner and lighter exterior. However, since the hardness (rigidity) of the business card 200 is greater than paper, the curve C1 of the feeding path L1 may cause the business card 200 to bend or be damaged. Accordingly, in the invention, besides the idle rollers 140A, 140B respectively leaning against the feeding roller 130, a diameter of the feeding roller 130 is also greater than or equal to 1.75 times a diameter of each of the idle rollers 140A, 140B.

In other words, through increasing the diameter of the feeding roller 130, not only does it ensure the idle rollers 140A, 140B to clamp against the business card 200, but it also lowers the curvature of the feeding path L1, allowing the business card 200 to successfully pass through the feeding path L1 between the idle rollers 140A, 140B and the feeding roller 130 without being damaged.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the MFP of FIG. 1 under another condition. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, in the embodiment, the base 112 includes an opening E3. The body 110 further includes a flexible element 116, wherein the top cover 114 is assembled to the base 112 and closes on the opening E3. Herein, the opening E3 is used as one of the problem-eliminating structures of the MFP 100 when the MFP 100 malfunctions. For example, when the MFP 100 has a paper jam, the top cover 114 can be disassembled from the base 112 so that a part of the feeding path L1 is exposed by the opening E3. This way, the user can remove the damaged paper or business card 200.

In addition, the flexible element 116 is, for example, a metal flexible arm, connected between the top cover 114 and one of the idle rollers 140A. Therefore, when the top cover 114 is disassembled from the base 112, the idle roller 140A is removed from the feeding path L1 with the top cover. This way the user can conveniently acquire the paper or business card 200 on the feeding path L1. Further, after the top cover 114 is assembled to the base 112, the top cover 114 and the flexible element 116 provide the radial force for the idle roller 140A to lean against the feeding roller 130. This also allows a radial condition between the idle roller 140A and the feeding roller 130 to be movable (the conditions of the dashed lines of idle roller 140A as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). In other words, besides the elasticity of the flexible element 116 allowing the idle roller 140A to lean against the feeding roller 130, the distance between the idle roller 140A and the feeding roller 130 can be adjusted according to the thickness of the paper or the business card 200 on the feeding path. This increases the range of the applicable thicknesses of the MFP 100 towards paper or business cards 200.

To sum up, in the embodiments of the invention, multiple idle rollers respectively contact the feeding roller, and a path length between two leaning points of any two adjacent idle rollers contacting the feeding roller is shorter than a size of the business card. Therefore, during the process of the business card being transmitted on the feeding path, the business card will be clamped by at least two idle rollers and the feeding roller, causing the business card to be successively transmitted through the feeding path.

Further, by increasing the size of the feeding roller, the diameter of the feeding roller is greater than or equal to 1.75 times the diameter of the idle rollers. This allows the curvature of the feeding path to be lowered, further ensuring that the business card is not damaged during the feeding process.

Through the above configuration, the MFP and similar feeding paths can print/scan general paper and business cards, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and improving efficiency.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of the ordinary skill in the art that modifications to the described embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be defined by the attached claims not by the above detailed descriptions. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A multi-function peripheral (MFP), adapted to print and scan a piece of paper or a business card, the MFP comprising: a body, having a feeding path; a scanning/printing unit, disposed in the body and located on the feeding path, wherein the scanning/printing unit performs scanning/printing towards the paper or the business card passing through the feeding path; a feeding roller, disposed in the body and located on the feeding path; a plurality of idle rollers, disposed in the body and located on the feeding path, wherein the idle rollers respectively lean against the feeding roller, wherein on the feeding path, a path length of two leaning points of any two adjacent idle rollers contacting the feeding roller is shorter than a size of the business card.
 2. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dimension of the business card includes 5 cm×9.4 cm or 10 cm×9.4 cm.
 3. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein a diameter of the feeding roller is greater than or equal to 1.75 times a diameter of each of the idle rollers.
 4. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body further includes a paper entrance and a paper exit, the piece of paper or the business card respectively enters the feeding path through the paper entrance, and exits the body through the paper exit.
 5. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: a paper pick-up roller, located on the feeding path and adjacent to the paper entrance; a paper dividing roller, located on the feeding path and between the paper pick-up roller and the feeding roller; and a paper exit roller, located on the feeding path and adjacent to the paper exit.
 6. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprises: a base, having the feeding path; a top cover, assembled to the base lifted or shut, so as to cover the feeding path; and a flexible element, connecting the top cover and one of the idle rollers, wherein when the top cover is removed from the base, the idle roller is removed from the feeding path with the top cover, wherein when the top cover is assembled to the base, the top cover and the flexible element drive the idle roller to lean against the feeding roller.
 7. The multi-function peripheral of claim 1, wherein a hardness of the business card is greater than a hardness of the piece of paper.
 8. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feeding path includes at least one curve.
 9. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 8, wherein the feeding roller is located at an area of the curve.
 10. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 9, wherein a curvature radius of the feeding roller is less than or equal to a curvature radius of the curve. 